Whimsical Garden Play Mat

This whimsical garden playscape play mat is now on etsy.  www.mybigworld2015.etsy.com

There are so many ways to play with this wool felt play mat is all hand stitched. Each playscape takes me about 6 to 8 hours to complete.  This one hosts a large rainbow garden, a hollow log that toys can actually pass through, a meandering path, grasses, teeny tiny mushrooms, and more.  It's just waiting for a child's imagination.

Have a fun and playful day.
Mel

Tell Me A Story

I love to simply show a child a picture and say, "Tell me a story."

Their imagination kicks in and...

I am amazed every time.

Kids are so funny.

Sometimes, they need prompted.  So I ask questions like, "What are the mice doing with all that cheese?"or "What is the teddy bear doing on the flamingo's back?"  Sometimes questions help to spark the imagination.

You telling a child stories or them telling them stories develops their vocabulary and verbal skills and parts of a story (beginning, middle, end) skills and their imagination.

We do this a lot in the car.  I have photos of toys that I have staged printed off and handy.  To pass the time, I hand G a photo and say, "Tell me a story."  I love the things she comes up with and I get a break from kids songs on the radio (you know that they annoy you, too!) These photo cards can be good while waiting at a restaurant or before bed.

Have a fun and playful day.
Mel

My Big World 2015 etsy shop

 This week, my plan was to complete 2...maybe 3...new playscape play mats for my etsy shop.  www.mybigwold2015.etsy.com  But there was sickness in the nanny house and I volunteered at my daughter's school.  I also road tripped to see my daughter at college.  Best laid plans, right?  I completed 1.

Completing One was disappointing but...I was able to just concentrate on adding so many tiny details to this one.

 There are so many ways to play with these playscape play mats.  I had a ton of fun this morning, staging different ways which a child might play with this.

 This Lakeside play mat has a 3 dimensional leaf boat.  I have never done a lake playscape or a boat before, but I love the way that it turned out.  This play mat is wool felt approximately 15 inches by 15 inches - not huge, so you could take it along in the car or to a restaurant or to a playdate.

 Gardens have been a part of every play mat that I have done so far, because my late Grandma Helen loved working in the garden.  I have many, many fond childhood memories beside her in the dirt talking, laughing, planting, weeding, picking.  The gardens on the play mats are a little more whimsical than Grandma Helen's, but I think she would have enjoyed them just the same.

 Whether it be tiny Japanese eraser hamsters, Safari or Schleich, or Papo animals, Lalaloopsy, Hello Kitty, dinosaurs - whatever your child is into...they can play on this play mat.

 These photos show all the tiny stitches and itty bitty mushrooms.  Each play mat takes me 6-8 hours to make, as they are all hand stitched.

 A Playscape is a landscape for imagination. "Imagination is more important that knowledge." - Albert Einstein

 I have been in the early childhood education field for 20+ years and know that children learn through play.  They need time to just play, to be creative, to let their imaginations run wild.

 Where will their imaginations take them?

 On a boat ride in a leaf on a lake?  On a picnic beside the lake?  A walk in a whimsical garden?

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Safari Ltd Incredible Creatures Penguin and Chick

Imagine this.  A tiny, squeaky voice saying, "Oh my goodness! Look how cute that baby penguin is!"  You are smiling, aren't you?

With quality toys like Safari Ltd.'s Incredible Creatures Penguin and Chick, you really will smile.  The mama (or dad, not sure which!) Is about 5 inches tall.  It is very detailed and painted so carefully, so life-like.  I am amazed by their toys every single time.

I have used Safari Ltd toys in many capacities over the years as an early childhood educator, mom, Auntie, nanny, and community center arts teacher.  They are my 'go to' toys, because 1) Safari Ltd toys are always high quality, detailed, and well priced, 2) they have a huge selection of animals 3) their Too line have a theme to fit almost any theme you are looking for.

I do talk about Safari Ltd toys on my blog A LOT.  I am not getting paid to say these wonderful things (but wouldn't working at Safari be sooo fun?!), but they did send me 5 items to review. I only talk about products on this blog that I have used and played with and trust.  I trust the quality.  I know their values.  I love their toys.

I have an upcoming post of 101 Ways to Play with Safari Ltd.  Stayed tuned.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Safari Ltd Toobs - A Review

Let me be completely honest with you.

I have used Safari Ltd. Toobs in a plethora of ways for many years.  So when Safari Ltd. asked me to review a few of their Toobs - it was a no-brainer.

As a preschool teacher, Auntie, craft teacher at the local community center, nanny, and that woman who sits at the table beside you at the restaurant and saves the day because your kids are screaming because the food is taking too long and she offers small toys to your children to help calm them (true story!), I have always relied on the quality and durability of Safari Ltd Toobs.

Safari Ltd has many variations of Toobs - something for almost any theme you can think of.  The toys are small - about 2 inches tall - but they don't skimp on detail.  The toys are realistic and high quality.

They sent me 3 Toobs - Dinosaurs, Exotic Birds, and Rainforest.  You can see the detail, the precise paint jobs, the vibrant paint.  Usually 6-12 animals come in a Toob and cost $9.99 or so. 

I am working on an upcoming post of 101 Things to do with Safari Ltd. Toobs, but for now, let me give you some ideas.  Easter egg stuffers instead of candy.  Cupcake toppers.  Math counters.  Game pieces.  In church or restaurant quiet bags.  In the car toys.  Dollhouse accessories.  Stocking stuffer.  Fun mail.  Birthday gift.

Or you can play with them on a playscape like above.

I really like the variety of animals that Safari Ltd. puts in their Toobs.  G, age 4, squealed when she saw the tapir in the rainforest set.  She reallllly is into tapirs right now.

Recently, we used some of the animals in our terrariums.  They added a lot of whimsy and fun to our little terrariums.

Disclaimer:  Safari Ltd has seen my posts about their products and sent me several things to review.  They did not pay me to write this glowing review.  I do LOVE their products - Toys that Teach - and would only give a positive review if I felt strongly about the product.  You will note that I do not recommend many things on this blog, but I will HIGHLY recommend Safari Ltd toys to anyone!  See www.safariltd.com for more educational and creative toys - including their large selection of Toobs.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Terriums with a Twist!

Terriums with a Twist! by melanieshanks featuring glass home decor

Bambeco glass home decor
bambeco.com